Teeth whitening
A beautiful smile is a person’s best calling card. White, shiny teeth are commonly regarded as a symbol of health and beauty. They make us smile more often, which helps us establish contacts more easily and be perceived better by those around us.
Unfortunately, naturally snow-white teeth are rare. For various reasons, most often due to external factors (frequent consumption of coffee and tea, smoking, etc.), our teeth become covered with plaque and/or suffer from unsightly discolouration.
For many years, doctors and qualified hygienists at the ARTIMEDICA Clinic have been successfully cleaning and whitening patients’ teeth. We will effectively give your smile a beautiful glow.
Depending on the individual needs of the patient, at the ARTIMEDICA Clinic we use three methods of teeth whitening:
- professional teeth whitening at the dental office using BEYOND whitening preparations and lamps,
- trays whitening (so-called home teeth whitening),
- dead teeth whitening (teeth whitening after endodontic treatment).
Preparation for teeth whitening
Before proceeding with the treatment, the dentist will thoroughly examine the condition of your oral health and check for any contraindications to teeth whitening. In some cases, it may be necessary to take X-rays (panoramic X-rays, individual tooth X-rays) for accurate diagnosis of caries and periodontal inflammation.
Before the whitening procedure, it is essential to:
- treat all cavities and replace leaky fillings and amalgam fillings with composite fillings,
- clean teeth of plaque and tartar (hygiene procedures: scaling, sandblasting),
- treat gum inflammation.
Please note that the whitening effect is not the same for everyone.
Niektórzy mogą osiągnąć zmianę koloru o kilka, a nawet o kilkanaście odcieni, natomiast inni tylko o jeden odcień lub wcale. Zależeć to może od wielu czynników. Dlatego istotne są informacje o Państwa oczekiwaniach, o przyjmowanych przez Państwa lekach, przebytych schorzeniach ogólnoustrojowych, nawykach (palenie papierosów, picie kawy/herbaty, czerwonego wina i inne).
Przeciwwskazania do wybielania zębów:
- znaczna nadwrażliwość zębów,
- starcie zębów,
- choroby przyzębia,
- ciąża i okres karmienia,
- liczne uzupełnienia protetyczne (chyba że decydują się Państwo na ich wymianę po wybielaniu, gdyż ich kolor zostanie niezmieniony).
If satisfactory results cannot be achieved after whitening or if there are contraindications to the procedure, it is possible to correct both the colour and shape of the teeth by covering them with a thin layer of porcelain – a porcelain veneer.
Tray whitening
Tray whitening, also known as home whitening, is an easy, effective and safe method of teeth whitening that you can do yourself at home under the supervision of your dentist.
How does home whitening work?
The procedure begins with taking an impression of the teeth and preparing a special mouthguard in a dental laboratory. Then, strictly according to the dentist’s instructions, the mouthguard, filled with the appropriate whitening material, is placed on the teeth. The whitening process takes 10 to 14 days. During and after the procedure, you should attend follow-up appointments as recommended by your dentist.
Advantages of tray whitening:
- highly effective, provided it is used regularly and the patient is committed to the treatment,
- no or minimal tooth sensitivity, thanks to the use of low-concentration whitening agents,
- no gum irritation.
However, many patients consider the need to wear trays on their teeth for several days to be a significant disadvantage.
Professional in-office whitening
A beautiful snow-white smile in just one day? Yes, it’s possible!
At the ARTIMEDICA clinic, we perform a one-visit teeth whitening treatment using preparations and the BEYOND whitening lamp.
How does teeth whitening at the dentist work?
After applying a liquid shield to the gums and hardening it with a polymerisation lamp, a whitening gel based on hydrogen peroxide is applied to the teeth. This gel is activated by the UV light of the BEYOND whitening lamp. The treatment takes about 50 minutes – usually three 15-minute sessions of exposure are performed.
As a result, you get a white, shiny smile in just one visit.
Advantages of in-office whitening:
- short treatment time,
- immediate teeth whitening results,
- safety of the procedure performed in the dentist’s office by a dentist and medical staff.
Whitening of dead teeth
Dead teeth after endodontic treatment may become discoloured, which is a serious aesthetic problem. Professional whitening of dead teeth is a chance to get rid of this problem.
Dead teeth, after root canal treatment, may become discoloured, usually as a result of blood pigments or root canal filling material penetrating the dentine. This is a serious aesthetic problem. These discolorations occur inside the tooth, so the above-mentioned whitening methods are not able to remove them.
In such cases, the dentist first takes an X-ray to assess the tightness of the root canal filling and the condition of the tooth root and periapical tissues. If necessary, he or she will perform a repeat root canal treatment.
Next, the dentist determines the current colour of the tooth, secures the filled canal with a suitable material, places a whitening preparation in the tooth chamber and leaves it for several days, regularly checking the degree of tooth lightening. This procedure is repeated several times.
After the procedure is complete, the dentist fills the whitened tooth with a composite material that matches the new, lighter colour of the tooth.
Post-treatment care after teeth whitening
By maintaining proper hygiene and attending regular hygiene appointments at our ARTIMEDICA clinic, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful effects of teeth whitening for longer.
Immediately after the whitening procedure, we perform enamel remineralisation using preparations containing calcium compounds and hydroxyapatites. For the first 72 hours after whitening, you should follow a so-called “white diet” “, i.e. do not eat foods or drink beverages with strong colourants, such as coffee, tea, fruit/vegetable juices, beetroot, berries, and coloured carbonated drinks. This is very important because during this initial period, the teeth absorb colourants excessively, which can lead to a loss of the whitening effect.
By maintaining proper hygiene and visiting our ARTIMEDICA clinic for regular check-ups, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful effects of teeth whitening for longer.
It should be remembered that only natural teeth can be whitened. Fillings, crowns and ceramic bridges will not be whitened.
After the teeth colour has stabilised, usually about two weeks after the whitening procedure, we recommend replacing some of the dark fillings with new ones that match the brightness of your new smile.
Immediately after whitening procedures, some patients may experience temporary sensitivity to thermal stimuli. To eliminate this, at the ARTIMEDICA clinic we perform laser biostimulation treatments on tooth tissue and recommend the use of appropriate preparations for sensitivity.